Stackable can with lid

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a stackable and re-sealable can with a bottom and a lid fold, wherein, inside the lid fold, a peripheral opening line is formed along a web projecting inwardly from the lid fold, said peripheral opening line enclosing a removable can lid, the bottom being smaller than the lid fold, and wherein a can can be stacked with its bottom forming a positive fit in and on a lid fold of a further can, characterised in that there is associated with the can a lid which has a peripheral rim, the outer contour of which corresponds to an inner contour of the web and which, after the can lid has been removed, can be inserted into the web, sealing the can.

The invention relates to a stackable and re-sealable can in accordance with the preamble of claim 1.

Many products are subject to accelerated decay if they are exposed to the atmosphere without protection. For this reason, products of this kind are often stored in sealed containers. After the container is opened, it is therefore expedient to provide a container seal with which it is possible to seal or re-seal the container hermetically.

Conventional lids for sealing or re-sealing containers are usually formed like caps and are slipped over the container to be sealed or are screwed onto it. Lids of this kind have the disadvantage that in the closed state, they project beyond the outer contours of the container and consequently increase the amount of space taken up by the sealed container. This results in higher storage and transport costs as a rule.

The problem of the invention therefore consists in providing a stackable and re-sealable can with a lid, which does not possess the disadvantages described above.

This problem is solved in accordance with the invention by a stackable and re-sealable can according to claim 1.

The lid may be arranged inside the lid fold of the can, especially in a position in which a top side of the lid is facing the can lid, or may be removably held on the can in some other way.

It is preferably contemplated that the lid has an upper portion which, when inserted into the web in a sealed state, extends laterally outwards beyond the web, the upper portion of the lid lying, in the sealed state, substantially inside the can interior located between the web and the upper rim of the can. This ensures that when the lid is inserted, the possibility of stacking the can is not impaired.

It may be contemplated in accordance with the invention that an outer contour, e.g. the diameter, of the peripheral rim of the lid is at least 1/10 mm larger compared to an inner contour, e.g. the internal diameter, of the web of the can. This ensures that the lid the can be hermetically sealed and has a firm fit in the web. At the same time, the fit is not made too firm, so that easy opening and re-sealing of the can is ensured.

In addition, it may be contemplated that the upper portion of the lid rests at least partially on the web of the can in the sealed state.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the upper portion of the lid has a preferably peripheral elevation on its rim or adjacent thereto. This peripheral elevation increases the stiffness of the lid in its edge portion and overcomes the risk of accidentally pressing the lid down into the portion of the can beneath the web.

It is preferably envisaged that the lid has a recess for receiving a pull ring of a can lid on an unopened can, in which the pull ring can be received when the lid is placed on the unopened can. It may also be envisaged that the recess of the lid corresponds substantially to the outer contour of the latter. It may be intended that the pull ring of the can lid presses the unopened can against the rim of the lid from the inside when the lid is resting on it, so that the lid rests eccentrically on the can. In this case, it may be advantageous for the lid to be held on the unopened can by a clamping effect between the pull ring and the can.

It is preferably contemplated that the upper portion has an extension located on the top side, preferably near the rim of the lid. That extension may, for example, take the form of a tab for raising the lid. It may further be contemplated that the extension with the pull ring of the can lid engages with the unopened can, so that the lid is held on the unopened can.

In an advantageous manner, it may be contemplated that an outer contour of the lid corresponds substantially to an outer contour of the bottom of the can. This makes it easier to stack the can with the lid on it.

A further variant of the invention envisages that the lid has a lower extension located on an underside opposite the top side, preferably in the vicinity of the rim of the lid. It makes sense in this connection that the lower extension takes the form of a tab for raising the lid.

In a further embodiment of the invention, it may be contemplated that the lid has an outer ring frame, the outer lateral surface of which can be brought into engagement with the inner contour of the web of the can in such a way that the frame is fixed to the can and seals it along the inner contour of the web. In this embodiment, it is contemplated that, in the sealed state, the lid rests with the rim of the lid on a peripheral inner surface of the ring frame. In this context, the invention envisages that the lid is mounted on the frame in such a manner that it cannot be lost. A mount of this kind could be implemented, for example, by means of a flexible tab.

In addition, it is preferably proposed that the lid consists at least partially of an elastic material.

Similarly, it is preferably proposed that the lid consists at least partially of plastic.

It may further be contemplated that the can has a circular base area and the base area of the lid is likewise circular.

The invention will now be explained in more detail by means of the following description of a worked embodiment, reference being made to a drawing, in which

FIG. 1 shows a side view of an upper portion of an unopened can with a lid in accordance with the invention, in cross-section;

FIG. 2 shows a detailed view of an upper rim portion from FIG. 1, in cross-section;

FIG. 3 shows a view of an underside of the lid of the invention, seen from above;

FIG. 4 shows a view of a top side of the lid of the invention, seen from above;

FIG. 5 shows a side view of an upper portion of the can re-sealed by means of the lid, in cross-section; and

FIG. 6 shows a detailed view of an upper rim portion from FIG. 5, in cross-section.

As FIG. 1 shows in a longitudinal section, the can is still sealed with a can lid 5 and is unopened. In the region of a lid fold 2, the can 1 has an inwardly projecting peripheral web 3, on the border between which and the can lid 5 there is a peripheral weakened or opening line 4. In a rim portion of the can lid 5, there is a pull ring 12, which is provided in order to remove the can lid 5. In a region 9 between an upper lid rim 2 a and the can lid 5, a lid 6 rests on the web 3, with a top side 6 a facing downwards towards the can lid 5. The lid 6 has an upper portion 8 with a peripheral rim 7, an adjoining support portion 7 a and a peripheral elevation 10. Inside the peripheral rim of the lid 7, the upper portion 8 of the lid 6 forms a cavity or at least a recess 11 on the 3 edge side, in which a tab 13 is disposed. An outer contour of the peripheral rim of the lid 7 is smaller than an inner contour of a bottom fold 1 a of the can 1, so that when the lid 6 is resting on it, there is no negative influence on the possibility of stacking the can 1.

As is indicated in FIG. 2, the upper portion 8 of the lid 6 in this embodiment is clamped between the pull ring 12 and the lid fold 2. In this context, the stiffening of the rim portion of the lid 6 by the peripheral elevation 10 is an advantage. In addition, FIG. 2 has dashed and dotted lines showing the outer contour of a further can 1 with a bottom fold 1 a, which is stacked on the can 1. In this embodiment, the bottom fold 1 a is formed in such a way that in the stacked state, it rests on the support portion 7 a.

FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 illustrate the lid 6 of the invention, looking at its bottom and top sides. In FIG. 3, the position of the peripheral elevation 10 in the rim portion of the lid on the underside is shown, as is the position of the peripheral rim of the lid 7, which is spaced apart from the peripheral elevation 10 in the direction of the centre of the lid. In FIG. 4, the position of the tab 13 can be clearly seen in a rim portion on the top side of the lid inside the recess 11.

As FIG. 5 shows in a longitudinal section, the can lid 5 has been removed, and the opened can 1 has been sealed with the lid 6, which has been rotated by 180° compared to the state shown in FIG. 1. In this state, the support portion 7 a and optionally part of the rim 7 of the lid are located above the peripheral opening line 4, and the remainder of the lid is on the same height as that opening line or beneath it. The tab 13 is pointing away from the can, so that it is easy to grasp, and the lid 6 can be raised by pulling on the tab 13 of the can 1.

FIG. 6 shows a section of the rim portion of the re-sealed can with lid from FIG. 5. Here it can be seen that the lid 6 with the peripheral rim 7 is resting on the peripheral opening line 4 and is in this way hermetically sealing the can 1. The peripheral elevation 10, which is located outside on the support portion 7 a of the lid 6, provides for stiffening of this area and thus prevents the lid from being pressed unintentionally into the can beneath the peripheral opening line 4. In this embodiment, the peripheral rim of the lid 7 runs slightly conically, so that even before the support portion 7 a comes to rest on the web 3, a clamping effect of the lid 6 between the opening line 4 and the rim of the lid 7 is achieved. Depending on the actual difference between the inner contour of the can (web 3, opening line 4) and the outer contour of the rim of the lid 7 a sealed state is possible in which the support portion 7 a rests on the web 3. It is likewise clear from FIG. 6 that the lid 6 is located completely inside the area 9, so that there is a space d between the lid rim 2 a and the support portion 7 a, which ensures that the can is centred for stacking or forms a positive fit. 

1-17. (canceled)
 18. A stackable and re-sealable can with a bottom and a lid fold, wherein, inside the lid fold, a peripheral opening line is formed along a web projecting inwardly from the lid fold, said peripheral opening line enclosing a removable can lid, the bottom being smaller than the lid fold, and wherein a can can be stacked with its bottom forming a positive fit in and on a lid fold of a further can, characterised in that there is associated with the can a lid which has a peripheral rim, the outer contour of which corresponds to an inner contour of the web and which, after the can lid has been removed, can be inserted into the web, sealing the can.
 19. The can as claimed in claim 18, wherein the lid has an upper portion which, when in a sealed state inserted into the web, extends laterally outwards beyond the web, the upper portion of the lid lying, in the sealed state, substantially inside a portion located between the web and the upper rim of the can.
 20. The can as claimed in claim 19, wherein an outer contour of the peripheral rim of the lid is at least 1/10 mm larger compared to an inner contour of the web.
 21. The can as claimed in claim 19, wherein, in the sealed state, the upper portion rests at least partially on the web.
 22. The can as claimed in claim 19, wherein the upper portion has a preferably peripheral elevation on its rim or adjacent thereto.
 23. The can as claimed in claim 19, wherein the lid has a recess for receiving a pull ring of the lid of the unopened can, into which the pull ring can be received when the lid is placed on the unopened can.
 24. The can as claimed in claim 23, wherein the lid is resting on it, the pull ring presses from inside against the rim of the lid.
 25. The can as claimed in claim 24, wherein the lid is held on the unopened can by a clamping effect between the pull ring and the can.
 26. The can as claimed in claim 19, wherein the upper portion has an extension located on a top side, preferably in the vicinity of the rim of the lid.
 27. The can as claimed in claim 26, wherein the extension is designed as a tab for lifting the lid off.
 28. The can as claimed in claim 26, wherein the extension engages with the pull ring of the lid of the unopened can, so that the lid is held on the unopened can.
 29. The can as claimed in claim 19, wherein an outer contour of the lid corresponds substantially to an outer contour of the bottom the can.
 30. The can as claimed in claim 19, wherein the lid has a lower extension located on an underside, opposite the top side, preferably in the vicinity of the rim of the lid.
 31. The can as claimed in claim 30, wherein the lower extension is designed as a tab for lifting the lid off.
 32. The can as claimed in claim 19, wherein the lid has an outer ring frame, the outer lateral surface of which can be brought into engagement with the inner contour of the web of the can in such a way that the frame is fixed to the can and seals it along the inner contour of the web.
 33. The can as claimed in claim 32, wherein, in the sealed state, the lid rests with the rim of the lid on a peripheral inner surface of the ring frame.
 34. The can as claimed in claim 33, wherein the lid is mounted on the frame in such a manner that it cannot be lost, especially so that it can be pivoted. 